Perhaps it was the green shirt, or maybe he was just flattered by all the attention, but when Carwardine bent down to take a picture of the bird, Sirocco took the opportunity to scamper up his arm and settle onto his head.

The happy bird is eventually removed, and though Carwardine is left bleeding from the bird's tight grip, Fry can't help but congratulate him on his dedication to conservation.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you've seen a television first," he says. "You've seen Mark Carwardine, who's devoted his life to conserving animals, actually taking an active part in the conservation and breeding of a whole new generation."

The video of the encounter is below - and it's worth watching both for the commentary and to see one of the most endearing little birds on the planet.